1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to luggage. More particularly, the invention relates to a luggage bag having a removable garment bag as well as hardware used to contain the garment bag in the luggage bag and to facilitate hanging of the garment bag when removed from the luggage bag.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The packing and carrying of clothes so that they arrive at the destination in a relatively wrinkle-free condition has taxed the ingenuity of people who travel as well as people who design luggage for the people who travel. Attempts to provide wrinkle-free packing having resulted in suitcases or travel containers of a wide variety of designs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,431 to Pulichino, Jr. et al. discloses a suitcase having a compartment for a folded garment bag. The garment bag includes a hangar for hanging when unfolded and VELCRO for keeping it folded when inside the suitcase.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,674 to Landes discloses a garment bag apparatus including a pouch for storing a collapsible garment bag carrier when not in use and a garment bag carrier storable within the pouch when not in use with the garment bag carrier including an interior compartment to hold miscellaneous items and a folded garment bag with the garment bag carrier including openings to permit the straps and handles of the garment bag to be extended through the openings so the traveler can carry the garment bag in a conventional manner. Closures on the garment bag carrier permit the handles and strap of the garment bag to be inserted into the garment bag carrier to permit the garment bag carrier to be used like a conventional suitcase when transferring the garment bag carrier from one destination to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,102 to Carp discloses a carry-on luggage bag having a housing of flexible material including side, end and bottom walls with top closure flaps interconnected by a zipper. An elongated liner of U shape is mounted upon and spans the side walls, with the bottom wall of the liner spaced from the housing bottom wall to define an auxiliary storage chamber. One side wall is cut away adjacent the auxiliary chamber defining a side flap closed by a zipper. An upright divider is mounted upon the liner bottom wall defining a first storage chamber, adapted to receive, store and enclose a tote bag. The tote bag includes a housing of flexible material having side, end and bottom walls, top closure flaps and a zipper interconnecting the flaps. An elongated liner of U shape is mounted upon and spans the tote bag side walls, with the bottom of the liner spaced from the tote bag bottom wall to define an auxiliary storage chamber. One side wall of the tote bag is longitudinally slit adjacent the latter storage chamber, closed by a zipper. An umbrella storage tube is suspended within the tote bag auxiliary chamber. One tote bag end wall has a slit portion, with a zipper closure. An upright divider is mounted upon the tote bag liner bottom wall, defining a storage chamber adapted to receive and store and enclose an article storage clutch bag. The clutch bag includes a housing of flexible material having side, end and bottom walls, top closure flaps and a zipper interconnecting the flaps. An upright divider is provided upon the bottom wall of said clutch bag. A first series of article storage pockets is arranged upon the inner surface of the clutch bag one side wall. A second series of article storage pockets is arranged upon the inner surface of the clutch bag other side wall. Third and fourth series of article storage pockets are provided upon opposite sides of the latter divider.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,954 to Nordstrom discloses a suitcase having an extendable handle movable between extended and retracted positions, and wheels whereby the suitcase is tilted for transport on the wheels and manipulated via the handle. In one embodiment, a removable garment bag is mounted inside the suitcase. The garment bag has no hanger but has an opening for hangars of the contained garments to extend outside the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,803 to Ghiassi discloses a garment bag having carry handles centrally disposed on the outer surface and a carry strap that is snap connected to eyelets for shoulder carry. Eyelets are centrally disposed on opposite sides of the interior surface thereof and may be used for snap-hook attachment of a utility kit. A pair of bottom straps and a pair of side straps may be employed to embrace a carry-on bag that is designed to fit within the arc formed when the garment bag is folded over. The strap lengths are adjustable, and the shoulder strap used for the garment bag may be removed and attached to eyelets at each end of the carry-on bag, thus permitting shoulder carry of the carry-on bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,835 to Shapiro discloses a flexible garment bag and a carrying case constructed to enable their separable connection to one another so that the assembly may be carried as a compact unit. The garment bag has first and second panels of flexible material connected to one another at their edges, the first panel having a longitudinally extending opening provided with a closure. The carrying case has a bottom wall, side walls, end walls and a top wall, the top wall having a handle. The carrying case has a length substantially equal to the width of the garment bag, and the garment bag has a length sufficient to substantially cover the bottom wall and the side walls of the carrying case in the assembled relationship of the garment bag and carrying case. A connector is secured to the carrying case, and longitudinally spaced connectors are secured to the second panel to extend from each end of the garment bag for separable connection to the connector secured to the carrying case.
While many attempts have been made to combine various types of luggage, including a luggage bag and a garment bag, all have failed to provide an easy way to install and remove a garment bag from a luggage bag.